10-Day Greece Adventure

About the destination: Athens gets its name from the goddess of wisdom Athena, who is honoured by the magnificent Acropolis, which towers over the modern, cosmopolitan city that Athens is today. Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world and it is the birthplace of western philosophy, democracy and theatre. To this day, the Greek capital remains a major global centre of culture, with its historic centre, iconic classical sites and museums brimming with artefacts from ancient Greece. The Acropolis, topped by the emblematic Parthenon, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cars have been banned from the historic centre, which has become the most striking pedestrian promenade in Europe. In this archaeological park, visitors will see the contrasting nature of this ancient metropolis, with the opportunity to visit the New Acropolis Museum, a high-tech modern structure with light and airy exhibition spaces, as well as the National Archaeological Museum, the largest archaeological museum in Greece, built in the 19th century and dedicated to ancient Greek art. The Acropolis and Mount Lycavittos, the city’s highest points, are used as landmarks as they can be seen from most places in the Plaka, the old historical neighbourhood. The Plaka is under the Acropolis and stretches almost to Syntagma, home of the Greek Parliament. For a taste of the hedonistic Athenian lifestyle, one should visit Monastiraki, where locals go to eat, drink and socialise. The night belongs to Psirri, a vibrant neighbourhood known for its bars, live music venues and lively nightclubs. Southeast of the city centre, a glorious stretch of coast offers dreamy views over the shimmering blue Aegean Sea. Surely few European capitals can boast sandy beaches and clean water for swimming within such easy reach. Athens therefore offers the best of both worlds – a fantastic city break as well as a lazy beach holiday. Athenians are surprisingly friendly and outgoing and their enthusiasm for life’s pleasurable pursuits is so infectious that even the most reserved traveller will take time out for endless coffees and evening strolls, dine out until late and enjoy the city’s nightlife, long after the rest of Europe has gone to bed.

Sobre el destino: Formada por la erupción volcánica masiva que dio origen a la leyenda de la Atlántida, Santorini es la isla más sorprendente del Egeo. La isla es, en realidad, el borde exterior de un volcán hundido, toda su costa oriental es una sucesión de pequeños pueblos encaramados en las altas colinas. Fira es la capital de la isla. Situada en los acantilados, con vistas al mar, la ciudad comparte la fama con el Partenón como la imagen más conocida de Grecia. Las estrechas calles están llenas de tiendas de suvenires, boutiques encantadoras y una gran cantidad de tiendas de joyería. Cuenta con dos hermosas iglesias, la ortodoxa griega y la Catedral Católica de San Juan Bautista. También cuenta con un pequeño museo local. La vida nocturna en Fira también es muy animada, con buenos restaurantes y bares, además de algunas discotecas. La ciudad es un espectáculo en sí mismo, con el clímax al atardecer. Otro gran lugar para disfrutar de la puesta de sol es el pueblo de Ia, un pequeño pueblo que está situada en la punta norte de la isla, a 300 metros sobre el mar. Las playas de Santorini son muy diferentes a otras playas de Grecia debido a sus características geográficas especiales. Piedras volcánicas rojas y negrasdecoran las orillas de las playas de Santorini y los acantilados ofrecen un ambiente pintoresco. La más famosa de las playas de Santorini es la playa Roja, también populares son Perissa, Kamari y Perivolos. Santorini es un destino verdaderamente maravilloso. La ubicación de algunos de sus principales ciudades es una de las vistas más espectaculares y encantadoras del mundo. Los edificios parecen desafiar la gravedad en la forma en que se aferran a los acantilados y están apilados uno encima del otro como terrones de azúcar. Las playas de arena multicolores son simplemente la guinda del pastel.

About the destination: Mykonos is a popular tourist destination in the Greek islands of the Cyclades group, situated in the middle of the Aegean Sea. In the 1960s, Mykonos became a bohemian mecca and is now one of the glitziest holiday resorts in the country that happily flaunts its sizzling style and reputation. This central Cyclade was for years the premier Mediterranean resort for gay travellers, though recently Mykonos has tried to reinvent itself for a more varied clientele, though nightlife is still very gay-friendly, it is a paradise for any reveller with loud and long nights. Chora or Mykonos town is the main town on the island. It is filled with narrow, winding streets, whitewashed buildings with blue trim, nice restaurants, clothing and jewellery shops, a fish market and a vegetable market. It is one of the most cosmopolitan and crowded towns of the Aegean. Besides Chora, there is only one other town on the island, Ano Mera. Ano Mera is quieter and less touristy. While you are here, visit the Monastery of Panagia Tourliani, a traditional Greek Orthodox Church which has a beautiful iconostas. The island is dry and barren, but there are some fine, sandy beaches, the two most well-known being Paradise and Super Paradise, but there are many other beaches you can seek out around the island. From the charming port, catch a boat out to the beaches or out to Delos, and you will be travelling from the present into the ancient past, from one set of myths to another.

About the destination: Athens gets its name from the goddess of wisdom Athena, who is honoured by the magnificent Acropolis, which towers over the modern, cosmopolitan city that Athens is today. Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world and it is the birthplace of western philosophy, democracy and theatre. To this day, the Greek capital remains a major global centre of culture, with its historic centre, iconic classical sites and museums brimming with artefacts from ancient Greece. The Acropolis, topped by the emblematic Parthenon, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cars have been banned from the historic centre, which has become the most striking pedestrian promenade in Europe. In this archaeological park, visitors will see the contrasting nature of this ancient metropolis, with the opportunity to visit the New Acropolis Museum, a high-tech modern structure with light and airy exhibition spaces, as well as the National Archaeological Museum, the largest archaeological museum in Greece, built in the 19th century and dedicated to ancient Greek art. The Acropolis and Mount Lycavittos, the city’s highest points, are used as landmarks as they can be seen from most places in the Plaka, the old historical neighbourhood. The Plaka is under the Acropolis and stretches almost to Syntagma, home of the Greek Parliament. For a taste of the hedonistic Athenian lifestyle, one should visit Monastiraki, where locals go to eat, drink and socialise. The night belongs to Psirri, a vibrant neighbourhood known for its bars, live music venues and lively nightclubs. Southeast of the city centre, a glorious stretch of coast offers dreamy views over the shimmering blue Aegean Sea. Surely few European capitals can boast sandy beaches and clean water for swimming within such easy reach. Athens therefore offers the best of both worlds – a fantastic city break as well as a lazy beach holiday. Athenians are surprisingly friendly and outgoing and their enthusiasm for life’s pleasurable pursuits is so infectious that even the most reserved traveller will take time out for endless coffees and evening strolls, dine out until late and enjoy the city’s nightlife, long after the rest of Europe has gone to bed.